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Individual Instrumental Scheme

BSKL supports a diverse individual instrumental programme focused on encouraging students who have a particular enjoyment of playing music, to develop their interests and studies further. Individual instrumental lessons are rotated around the school timetable and offered once a week for the duration of forty five minutes, at a cost of RM75 per lesson**. There are normally ten confirmed lessons during term time. Lessons begin in the second week of each term and follow through, in most cases, to the penultimate week. **Please note, with the introduction of GST (Government Service Tax, effective 1 April 2015) an additional 6% will be added onto invoices.

In order for your child to maximise this opportunity and make progress, it is required that they have their own instrument. If you need advice on purchasing an instrument, please contact charlotte.leng@britishschool.edu.my. Students may also be required to buy music books or a theory book to support their lessons, which the instrumental teacher will advise on where appropriate.

Once your application has been received, confirmation of your request is immediately effective. Timetables of your child’s lessons will be emailed to you. These timetables are also displayed on the music and class noticeboards and made available to your child’s class teacher. Please note, as these timetables are rotational, your child’s lesson may alternate around different days of the week and occasionally cross over into part of break or lunch time.

PaymentThe total number of instrumental lessons per child are calculated and invoiced to parents in the first week of term once timetables are finalised; payment should be settled with the Finance Office on the Primary Campus by the date indicated on the invoice.

Confirmed instrumental lessons, cancellations fees and confirmation of timetablesThe timetabled rotation of many children taking instrumental lessons throughout the school term is a carefully calculated task which requires considerable planning and negotiating. This is achieved within the first few days of the first week of a school term, finalised and emailed to parents, class teachers and instrumental teachers by the end of the first week so that lessons may begin promptly in the second week of term. Due to the hours incorporated in the administration of the timetabling of these lessons, a cancellation fee of RM375 will be imposed on parents who confirm a commitment to this programme, who subsequently decide to cancel, after they have submitted their application form.

PunctualityYear 2 – Year 5 students engaging in these lessons will be supported by their class teacher, assuring punctuality is adhered to throughout the term. Support will also be offered by the instrumental teacher who will endeavour to pick your child up from their class lesson should a late arrival become imminent. All children are signed into an instrumental register as confirmation of the lesson taking place.

Year 6 – Year 9 students have diary planners that need to be signed by the teacher of the class they are excusing themselves from (e.g. Humanities, Chinese or Art) and the instrumental teacher receiving them. Dates of lessons should be pre-written into their diary planner so they can be responsible for ensuring their own punctuality.

Making it easier for your childMany parents of Year 2 – Year 5 choose to have a colour tag reminder sticker detailing the time of the instrumental lesson, placed on their child’s shirt, tie or instrumental case. Such parental support of the instrumental timetable infrastructure provides a further and more practical means of management for these year groups.

Teacher FeedbackInstrumental teachers are requested to complete feedback forms for each lesson. Should you wish to read this feedback, you are welcome to make an appointment with a member of the Music Department.

Instrumental Teacher Contact DetailsParents are encouraged to meet with and take the contact details of their child’s instrumental teacher.

Individual Instrumental Programme FAQsHow to confirm the term's instrumental lessons?The online application form for individual instrumental programme should be completed before the last week of the previous term to confirm your child's place on the programme.

Are replacement lessons scheduled should my child miss a lesson?All instrumental tuition fees paid to BSKL must be fully received as salary by the tutor, regardless of termination, casual or sick days off, or any other absence that may occur during the term by a student. No replacement lessons are timetabled due to the teaching load of the instrumental tutors, however, should an instrumental tutor cancel due to sickness, cover will be provided during the absence.

Can my child have a set lesson time every week?It is The British Schools Foundation policy that instrumental lessons rotate around the weekly curriculum timetable in order to ensure a child does not miss the same curriculum lesson each week. This policy is observed and practised by all children studying individual instrumental lessons in our school.

Can my child have a lesson after school?No instrumental lessons are offered after 3.30pm, the end of the school day.

Who are the tutors?Our instrumental tutors are fully qualified practicing and experienced local and UK-trained musicians who come highly recommended to BSKL’s music department. They are recruited for their expertise in their performance fields and their continuous commitment to education in Malaysia. Woodwind and Brass lessons are taught by our own Music Interns recruited from the UK.

How long should my child practise per week?Our recommended practice timetable for all students participating with one on one instrumental music lessons should be timetabled to a minimum twenty minutes, three times a week. If this is not consistently attainable please be mindful that any development and general progression will be extremely minimal, if any at all.

Can my child play in orchestra ASA?There are certain benchmark requirements for children wishing to participate in both Training and Senior Orchestras. Recommendations from tutors are also a necessary consideration.

Training Orchestra Strings

Correct Posture

Open Strings Bowing

Play the first note on every string

Training Orchestra Woodwind

Saxophones – ability to read and play one octave scales and arpeggios of C Major, F Major and G Major plus a simple ABRSM Grade 1 study.

Clarinet – ability to read and play one octave scales and arpeggios of F Major and G Major plus a simple ABRSM Grade 1 study.

Flutes – ability to read and play the notes Bb, Eb, Ab, G, F and play one octave scales and arpeggios of F Major and G Major.

Brass – ability to play the notes C – G plus F# and a C#.

Senior Orchestra

ABRSM Grade 3 or equivalent for all woodwind, strings, brass and percussive instruments.

If I wish to terminate my child’s lessons, how much notice should I give?Should you wish to terminate your instrumental lessons, please be advised, once you have made the term’s payment, no refunds will be reimbursed. One month’s notice at the end of a term will be sufficient enough for us to cancel your scheduled lessons for the following term.

How may I contact the instrumental teacher – can I take their contact details?All instrumental teachers are given your contact details. The music department is happy to provide you with your instrumental teacher’s contact details.

What is PIPS & SIPS?PIPS & SIPS is a compulsory one hour instrumental programme exposing children to the learning of stringed instruments (Year 2 – Year 4), brass and woodwind instruments (Year 5 – Year 6) and the whole range of orchestral and band instruments (Year 7 – Year 9). This programme is an additional hour to the music curriculum timetable.